Govt debunks claims of suicide attack on Army brigade in Rajouri, other disinformation

The government on Friday dismissed claims circulating on social media about a suicide attack on an Army brigade in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and a drone attack in Punjab's Jalandhar as "fake news", calling them part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.

The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check Unit confirmed that there was no "fidayeen" or suicide attack on any Army cantonment in Jammu and Kashmir. The viral video allegedly showing a drone attack in Jalandhar was, in fact, a farm fire, as confirmed by the district collector of Jalandhar, the PIB stated.

Seven Viral Videos Busted Between May 8 Night and May 9 Morning

"A total of seven videos were fact-checked between 22:00 hours on May 8, 2025, and 06:30 hours on May 9. A list of the fact-checked videos, along with their links, has been compiled," the PIB said.

Among them was an old video being falsely circulated as a missile attack by Pakistan on India. This clip was actually from the massive explosion that took place in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2020.

Another video claimed that Pakistani forces had destroyed an Indian Army post. However, the Fact Check Unit verified that the so-called "20 Raj Battalion" mentioned in the video does not exist in the Indian Army, confirming the video as fabricated.

False Videos and Letters Aim to Spread Panic, Says PIB

"A barrage of coordinated disinformation has been carried out by certain social media handles in general and mainstream media in particular in Pakistan with the sole objective to instill fear among the Indian masses," a PIB statement said.

One video showed an oil tanker explosion and was presented as an attack on Hazira Port in Gujarat; this clip was actually from July 7, 2021. Another piece of disinformation was a fake letter allegedly signed by a fictitious "Chief of Army Staff, Gen V K Narayan," which the PIB confirmed as entirely fabricated.

A separate viral claim alleged that the Indian military used its Ambala airbase to launch strikes. The PIB dismissed this as false and pointed to a detailed Ministry of Defence press release to clarify the situation.

Disinformation Surge Follows Pakistan’s Drone and Missile Assaults on Indian Military Sites

These disinformation efforts peaked as India, on Thursday, thwarted Pakistani attempts to strike military sites in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, Uttarlai, and Bhuj using drones and missiles. The escalation came amid rising tensions between the two countries and fears of a broader military conflict.

Reiterating its commitment to countering fake narratives, the PIB urged citizens to verify information through official channels and avoid sharing unconfirmed content. It said disinformation not only misleads the public but also threatens national security and social harmony.

(With PTI Inputs)